History Schieperskruus
Throughout the summer, the shepherds remained on the moors and could not attend church on Sundays because of the distance and the need to stay with their flocks. In order to be able to pray anyway, one of them made a large cross in the ground of the heath with his schiepersschupke (shovel of a sheepherder). This 'Kruuske' (cross) became his place to pray. In winter he went to church to attend mass every day. The unique Schieëperskruus was reconstructed in 2006 on the basis of old documentation.
With the cooperation of Stichting De Marke, the Venrayse Stichting Kruisen en Kapellen and the Municipality of Venray, the Schieëperskruus has been restored to the landscape. On Ascension Day 2006, the cross was solemnly consecrated by the church. A shepherd with his flock symbolized the times of old. During the cleaning of the area around the cross, traces of the Second World War were found, such as a foxhole and a trench, which testify to the fierce fighting that took place here at the time.
The cross
The cross was excavated in the forest at a location consistent with its 1955 description. The cross is located in a sloping area of approximately 30x30 meters along the trail marked with red posts.